Photos provided by Assemblywoman Malliotakis' office"I was sickened after seeing the images of dogs with tattoos and piercings through their eyebrows and noses," said Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis in a press release.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Calling the practice "odd" and nothing more than "animal cruelty," Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis has introduced legislation that would establish a misdemeanor charge for owners who subject pets to piercings, tattoos and certain other cosmetic surgeries.

Malliotakis (R-East Shore/Brooklyn) says she was driven to address the practice after viewing "Pet Crazy," a documentary about such behavior on "20/20."

"I was sickened after seeing the images of dogs with tattoos and piercings through their eyebrows and noses. While the psychological effects on these animals is an area of debate, the fact remains that most of these procedures require an application of general anesthesia which poses a health risk in itself," said Malliotakis in a press release. "The animal must then go through the pain of recovery and possible infection, or post-surgery complications. These non-medical cosmetic procedures are not just odd and unnecessary, they amount to animal cruelty."

This legislation will also cover the sale of companion animals who have been subjected to certain cosmetic procedures, which, in addition to tattooing and piercings, includes devocalization, rhytidectomy ("facelifts"), and abdominoplasty ("tummy-tucks"). Malliotakis hopes this would remove the impetus for retailers to physically modify an animal in the hopes of increasing its value to prospective buyers.

The bill has garnered support from local animal rights advocates, including Anarchy Animal Rescue of Staten Island and No More Tears Rescue.

"I myself think that owning a pet is a privilege not a right. My blood boils every time I hear about an animal being abused. Every day an animal suffers at the hands of some lunatic," said Catherine Gaffney, a former dog groomer at All Pets Animal Hospital. "If you think that cosmetic surgery is not abuse, think again. If you don't like the way a cat or dog looks then maybe an aquarium would be a better choice."

Conviction would result in a misdemeanor, punishable by no more than one year imprisonment, a fine of no more than $1,000, or both. This penalty would be not unlike similar animal rights violations.

The bill will be carried by Sen. Marty Golden (R-Brooklyn) in the state Senate.

The legislators will be garnering support for the bill at the second annual Animal Advocacy Day on June 13 in Albany.